1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is shoulder holsters worn outside the party's shirt for carrying handguns wherein the means supporting the holster is concealed under the shirt of the party wearing the shoulder holster and the shirt is not punctured.
2. Description of the Related Art
All of the shoulder holsters known to the Applicant which are worn outside the operator's shirt employ chest straps or shoulder-type straps (or a combination thereof) which also reside outside the shirt. For example, the devices shown in various U.S. Pat. Nos., such as No. 1,601,963 to Arth, Design Patent No. 214,560 to Kassel, No. 4,903,874 to Shoemaker, and No. 1,917,844 to Keith show various varities of shoulder holsters wherein the mechanism supporting the holster resides exteriorly to the operator's shirt. Generally the supporting mechanism consists of a series of straps, one adapted to reside around the party's chest and another strap over one of the operator's shoulders. The holster is then concealed by the wearing of a jacket over the operator's shirt where, by positioning the holster underneath the person's arm or proximate that position, the holster is hidden except when the person opens their jacket wide or removes their jacket.
Of course, the method of securing a shoulder holster by means of concealed chest straps and shoulder straps is known where an opening or a plurality of openings are formed in the shirt to allow passage of the fastening means between the strap and the holster.
Other means by which shoulder holsters may be secured are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,397 to Myres wherein the holster is operably secured to both a shoulder strap and to a flexible plate which is placed under the belt of the operator. Stewart, in U.S. Pat. No. 834,419, discloses a shoulder holster which is hung from a chest strap, the strap situated outside the operator's shirt but, when worn with a sleeveless vest, is concealed by the vest. The strap by which the holster is hung is secured to the chest strap in the area of the sleeve openings of the vest.
Now Scialdone in U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,715 provides a novel shoulder holster and harness in which the harness is worn under the shirt, however, the holster is also worn under the shirt. By such means, both the holster and the harness is concealed. In order to withdraw a handgun from the holster, the operator must unbutton at least one button on his shirt and then reach inside the shirt to grasp the gun.
Aside from the obvious method of penetrating the wearer's shirt with an opening through the shirt which allows communication between the holster and the chest strap, the inventor is unaware of any means by which a shoulder holster is supported outside the operator's shirt by a chest strap concealed inside the operator's shirt.
It is readily apparent that for convenience and safety to the operator, the shoulder holster should be worn outside one's shirt. However, for appearances and possibly for the operator's safety, the presence of a visible chest strap and/or shoulder strap supporting the holster is not always called for.
It is therefore obvious that there is need for apparatus which will permit a shoulder holster to be worn outside one's shirt, but with the supporting mechanism worn inside one's shirt. It is to this need that the subject invention is directed.